Black Belt Banter: Martial Arts Business Podcast
Welcome to Black Belt Banter, the best martial arts business podcast for instructors, school owners, and entrepreneurs who want to increase their profits and generate substantial revenue. Whether you're running a single studio or scaling a multi-location empire, we break down the strategies, stories, and systems behind profitable martial arts businesses. From student retention and marketing hacks to leadership, curriculum, and community building, we cover it all. Tune in for weekly insights from Master Chan and Master Jimmy Hong, who’s been in the trenches and come out kicking.
Email us at jimmyhong@blackbeltbanter.com
Black Belt Banter: Martial Arts Business Podcast
#37 | The Retention Event That Pays You to Run It
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Most schools try to fix retention after a student is already halfway out the door. Sensei Solomon Brenner does it 90 days in advance — with an in-house tournament.
Solomon runs 36 Action Karate locations and hosts two in-house tournaments a year: 1,100 to 1,400 competitors, 19 rings, start to finish in one day. But the real lesson isn't the size. It's that the event drives retention, marketing, and revenue at the same time — and it works just as well with 30 students in your own school.
Jimmy Hong and Master Tony Chung dig into how it actually runs.
What we cover:
- Why your tournament should be built for the 95%, not the 5% who compete on the circuit
- Standardized divisions and why every student runs the same kata
- Assigned ring times so families aren't sitting there all day
- How to train judges and parents so nobody walks out with a bad experience
- Turning tournament season into your curriculum instead of a separate track
- The T-shirt, the medal, the hand stamp — how the day becomes part of a student's identity
- Why "Did you have fun?" beats "How did you do?"
- Running it with two rings and 40 students in your own building
Guest: Sensei Solomon Brenner, founder of Action Karate — 36 locations, 30 years, 50,000+ families served. Speaking at the ASA Summit in Las Vegas, October 1–3.
Resources:
Compete123 — Solomon's tournament software, built for parents and judges instead of points and rankings: www.compete123.com
ASA Summit, October 1–3, Las Vegas: https://asamartialarts.com/summit/
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